Nicolás Guillén, poet
(1902-1989)

One of Cuba's foremost poets. Wrote in many styles, many of which are traceable
to the litterary styles in use in the old Oyo Empire, the Yoruba homeland, according to
Olabiyi Yai, who was Benin's ambassador to UNESCO and a Guillén scholar. Another
Guillén scholar is Keith Ellis at the University of Toronto, who
has written extensively on him.

In Havana, there is a Fundacion Guillén,
managed by his grandson, which has held numerous Guillén events over the
years.

Nicolás Guillén, Cubas national poet, was a universal man. Several universities
around the world include his works in their literary studies programs; his poems can be
read in more than 30 languages; but his success never dazzled him.

I saw him for the first time during one of our usual tours of our native province of
Camagüey. I was twenty years old, and Guillén was over seventy. I approached him by
surprise, to interview him about the honoris causa degree recently that had been awarded
him by the West Indies University of Kingston, Jamaica. He had an adverse reaction, but
after he refused, he invited me to lunch.

This was a golden opportunity to get to know a man full of nuances, who could be shy,
ironical or witty, but always charming; he enthralled me in no time at all. And I was able
to write my first interview with the poet. Hours later, Guillén reviewed my piece in our
natural environment: the newspapers workshop...he became my teacher from that day
on.

Nicolás used to say he had been born in a printing house. His permanent
closeness to printed matter exerted a decisive influence over his poems and over his own
brand of creativeness: exas-peratingly thorough and absurdly whimsical,
according to his own words. He liked to ponder everything he said or did, thats why
he did not improvise. One day he stated: I read what I write over and over again,
and I write it al over again by dint of changes. To me it is like appearing neat, bathed
and even perfumedwhich I also likebefore the people.

I became acquainted with this habit of his when once I naively commented: It must be easy
for you to write. He then laughed with that hearty laugh of his, took my hand and showed
me something that could be a verse. I understood his laughter when I saw so
many corrections in such a small piece of paper.

I always find something new in Nicolás; perhaps it is due to the intense life I led with
him, to the experiences from which he nurtured me. Sometimes I surprised him in his own
private cloud, immersed in creation. He then remained absolutely silent, absorbed,
contemplating the landscape or the sky without seeing them as he toyed with a pencil. He
said he felt ...inspired anywhere, I pick up a sheet of paper and I write, for one
must not let ideas escape; one has to hold on to an idea and then find a place for it
somewhere.

Booknews, Inc. , March 1, 1995In 1966, Guillen (1902-1989), the National Poet of Cuba, wrote a book of 15 poems
dealing with a rupture in his affair with Sara Casal, to whom he dedicated the book. This
bilingual edition presents the poems and Ellis's commentary and notes. As an epilogue,
Ellis includes a previously unpublished sonnet by the Cuban poet Eliseo Diego, "A
Sara Casal." The volume is illustrated with 13 b&w drawings by the Cuban painter
Ernesto Garcia Pena. Canadian call number: C94- 930761-0. Annotation copyright
Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.